


Don't Wake Me Up (Once More)

by ParallelSkies



Series: Even If It's a Different Space [4]
Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Angst, Cheating, Crossposted on AFF, Dating, Explicit Language, F/F, F/M, Flashbacks, Guess who's still trash? ME, Homophobia, Hurt/Comfort, Infidelity, M/M, Meet-Cute, Nakamoto Family - Freeform, Post-Divorce, Romance, Smut, Starting Over, Twisted and Fluffy Feelings, awkward tense shifting, because I'm a bad English major, bottom!Yuta, mentions of NCT Dream - Freeform, top!Taeyong
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-21
Updated: 2017-10-14
Packaged: 2019-01-01 03:42:48
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 14,389
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12147882
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ParallelSkies/pseuds/ParallelSkies
Summary: We’ll get lost togetherLet me flowDon’t ever let me comedown from your...Love?





	1. It Hurts (YuTae)

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: SO. I really hate myself right now because I have a million important things to do for school, work, and my internship— I even had to ask for my first due date extension EVER because I'm so busy— yet I chose to write this mess instead. I'm utter TRASH. TT Welp, I had to get the idea down fast, though, or else I would've likely forgotten it.  
> I'm 99% sure that this story will be the last prequel, I promise! It's a four-shot just meant to show you some more intense YuTae interactions as well as how YuSol and JaeYong met.

_As he slams the bedroom door shut behind him and flings himself aggressively onto his bed, a 19-year-old sobbing Yuta wonders when the world will stop fucking him over._

_The Japanese boy's utterly exhausted and stressed and about a few seconds away from losing the remaining shreds of his sanity._

_Nothing had gone right today at all. His international relations quiz in particular had gone terribly that morning, which led to him being in a dismal, unmotivated mood for the rest of his day._

_He'd also gotten the **cruelest** voicemail from his parents yet just minutes after getting out of lecture. They've been treating him like a pariah ever since he'd admitted to being in a loving, happy relationship with another boy a few months ago; they send him insulting messages almost religiously as if to emphasize their newfound disdain for him. Yuta thinks he would've been okay had they just called him a "fag" or "disgrace" or "traitor to your country" or something else equally nasty again, but this time they called him "a mistake that should've never been born," "a person they regret giving over eighteen years of love, support, and time to." And to add salt to the wound, they heartlessly added that his sisters didn't want anything to do with him, either, and that he could basically go fuck off in Korea for the rest of forever while they continue as a family of four._

_Work had been unusually **hellish** , too. He'd been discriminated against, spoken down to, and overall annoyed by a bunch of unfamiliar, ignorant, elderly customers at the restaurant earlier, and if receiving noticeably lower tips than his Korean coworkers for the same, if not better, quality of work and being told to go back to his own country weren't enough, his boss had told him to just **suck it up** , or else she'd be forced to hire someone **less sensitive** to replace him._

_Remembering that his Korean boyfriend would be home any minute now, Yuta wearily drags himself out of bed to clean up. It wouldn't do for Taeyong to see him in such a pathetic state._

_When he opens the bedroom door, however, he finds Taeyong standing before him, a slightly pained, almost guilty expression on his face. "Oh, hi," he says lamely, eyes downcast, "I just got home.... Won't you have dinner with me? There was a sale on ramyeon, so we can eat like kings tonight."_

_"Oh, sounds great! Let me just clean up first. My allergies have been acting up again..." the younger replies with what he hopes is a convincing smile before excusing himself._

_He doesn't realize that the elder had been dishonest with him and is currently watching his retreating figure with a look of frustration, longing, concern, gentleness, and an overall heavy heart._

 

Yuta wakes up teary, slightly nauseous, and plagued by a mild headache. With stinging eyes squeezed shut and muffled whimpers, he blindly tries to untangle himself from the blankets and the embrace he's trapped in; he fails when strong arms lock more tightly around his slim waist and pull him back to rest against a solid chest.

"Hey, I'm here." The soft whisper reassures Yuta, and he feels himself calm down a little as sweet, comforting kisses are pressed to the back of his marked-up neck and shoulders. "Bad dream?"

"You could say that... but I don't want to talk about it right now, sorry," Yuta murmurs in an uncharacteristically unsteady manner, wiping at his moist eyes with the back of his hands. After a moment of hesitation, he lightly taps his Korean lover's arms to signal that he wants to be let go; once he's free, he clumsily scoots off the elder's lap and into the seat on the couch next to him. "Taeyong, what time is it?" he inquires shyly, resting his head against the other man's shoulder.

"It's 9:09PM," Taeyong tells him quietly. His eyes don't move away from the movie playing quietly on TV, but his hand searches beneath the blankets for Yuta's, and he laces their fingers together meaningfully once he finds it. The Japanese man doesn't complain but merely sighs at the warm feeling. "I know you don't want to talk about it, but is there anything I can do to make you feel a bit better?"

His lover just grimaces and presses his damp cheek against Taeyong's bare shoulder more firmly. "So, what did I miss?" he asks awkwardly, faking a yawn and pretending to refocus his attention on the movie to avoid the Korean man's question. 

"Zombies. Now I really think you should reconsider your habit of going back to Busan by train," Taeyong deadpans. He almost cracks a smile when he hears his ex-husband snort disbelievingly at his joke but clears his throat to resume his usual seriousness. "You know... you don't have to pretend to be strong in front of me. I've always been able to see right through you. Part of the reason we meet up anyway is to _de-stress_ , so you might as well justー"

"I'm really alright," Yuta abruptly cuts in, prying his hand away and kicking off the blankets caging him in before standing up. He whines when he feels a sharp pain lance through his backside upon straightening. He shoots his ex-husband an unimpressed look, but Taeyong merely gives him a reserved, albeit smug, half-smile in return. With an apologetic but determined sigh, the Japanese man mumbles, "Sorry, but... I think I should go. I have this charity luncheon tomorrow at noon, and it's a long way back to Busan, anywayー"

 _"Stay longer, Yuta._ " Taeyong's in front of him in a heartbeat, just inches away, and he resists the urge to bow his head as the elder stares him down with dark, unnerving intent. His hot breath grazes his cheek. "It only takes about three hours to get to Busan from here, so you really have no need to rush. You don't look well enough to travel either," the Korean man observes, lifting a hand to ruffle the younger's messy hair. "I doubt you can even walk properly right now, and I can see it in your eyes how sleepy you still are. Just _stay_ and _rest_ , and we can just check out tomorrow at the time we agreed upon..."

The Japanese man bites his lipー the thought of more sleep is _so_ tempting, especially when his body feels as heavy as leadー but shakes his head. He should go _home_. With that thought in mind, he tries to step around Taeyong, only to find himself falling into the other man's waiting arms when his legs give out. "Some gentleman you are," he grouches, glaring up at his ex-husband. "You're _terrible_."

Taeyong rolls his eyes at Yuta's attitude and smirks teasingly. "I always kiss it better and order painkillers, at least." Then he's shutting the TV off, lifting Yuta up bridal style, and bringing him away from the couch.

The younger chooses to ignore the comment; he doesn't complain as his ex-husband carries him to bedー he'd kind of wanted him to, seeing as it's _his_ fault that he's currently in this stateー but he frowns when he realizes that Taeyong had turned off the TV. "Wait... you're not going to finish the movie?" he questions naively as he's tenderly laid down and tucked in. "Don't stop because of me. Go watch..."

He stifles a yawn and rolls onto his side without waiting for a reply, ready for sleep to come to him. His eyes flutter shut.

Yuta's eyes fly open in surprise just seconds later as he senses a warm body slip under the sheets next to him. He gasps as his ex-husband spoons him out of the blue; it's extremely _intimate_ ー if he hadn't known any better, he would've found the contact _loving_ , though a bit on the _possessive_ sideー and as nice as it feels to be held, it's _wrong_ in more ways than one. 

"Taeyong," he starts weakly, forcing himself not to tense up, "for the millionth time, you're not supposed to... _you know_."

_No displays of affection or intimacy are to be performed outside of sex._

__

_Because there's no feelings involved, and they would remind us too much of the past._

__

_No referencing the past, either._

_We're not those people anymore._

_**Right?** _

_"Of course I know,"_ Taeyong retorts in an aloof manner. His off-putting tone of voice juxtaposed with the sensually careful but somewhat impatient movement of his hands across and in between Yuta's exposed thighs leaves the younger moaning shakily. _"I know,"_ he repeats huskily, and the other man doesn't miss its mocking quality.

The Korean man leans in even more closely to peck his lover's unpierced ear. "You can rest assured, though. I wasn't planning on just innocently spooning you. How could I, when you're practically _inviting_ me to fuck you again?" The elder feels like he's _starving_ , and he brings his lips to the back of his ex-husband's neck and sucks at a patch of skin until it bruises beautifully.

Yuta's already drowsy mind had totally short-circuited as soon as Taeyong had begun to grope his thighs. "What're you.... talking about?" he manages to choke out dumbly. "I'm not _inviting_ you to do _anything_. You only gave me the pajama top to wear while you took the bottom for yourself, so it's not likeー"

 _"Shut. Up."_ Something hard is pressed against his ass purposefully, then the body spooning his rolls away for a moment in search of something. 

The Japanese man gulps when he hears the popping sound of a certain cap being opened. "Hey, I'm tired," he whimpers pathetically, scooting away from his mischievous ex-husband. "You said so yourself. I don't want to do it..."

Ever a persistent bastard, Taeyong follows the younger and throws an arm over his waist again to stop any further struggle. "I'll do all the work, don't worry. You can go... _rest_." And without any warning, he pushes two lubed fingers into Yuta's still open entrance at once and curls them to reach that special, sore spot deep inside.

"Fuck you!" Yuta hisses, quivering as he feels his lover shove in a third finger and spread him out _naughtily_. "You're so _needy_..."

"That's _hilarious_ , coming from _you_. _You're_ the one clenching on _my_ fingers, taking _me_ so sweetly. If you didn't want this, too, you would've fought tooth and nail to leave earlier," Taeyong comments haughtily in response as he twists his fingers. Despite his half-hearted protests, Yuta always submits to him, and the thought is always endlessly gratifying. "Besides, we both know why I can't treat you softly. Now raise your hips a little, please?"

"Damn it..." The Japanese man pouts but yields, and then his ex-husband is sliding in slickly seconds later, hot and filling him to the brim and leaving his heart and sanity in ruins. As the elder squeezes him in his hold more tightly and sets a harsh but pleasurable pace, he remembers that something's missing. "Oh, wait! The blindfoldー"

"If that's your way of trying to get me to back off, it's not very convincing. We're both going to bed after this, anyway, so there's no point," Taeyong mutters gruffly, and he starts to snap his hips more forcefully as if aggravated by the thought of stopping now. "I might be persuaded if you beg, though."

 _"Nevermind,"_ Yuta groans defeatedly, pushing back to meet his lover's thrusts. "Hurry up..."

"For someone who's _tired_ , you're quite fussy. Just relax, and let me dictate the pace," sniffs the Korean man. 

But he still picks up the pace to fulfill his lover's wishes, the other man's keening music to his ears.

 

 

Early the next morning, as he and Taeyong pack their suitcasesー truthfully, it's just Taeyong packing up both of their things, because he's pretty sure he can't bend over and actually _help_ at the momentー Yuta gets a call.

The Japanese man leans over and grabs his phone from the bedside table. When he sits up to clearly examine the number, he frowns in confusion. It looks vaguely familiar, but he can't quite place it; for some unknown reason, though, those digits make a shiver run up his spine. He clears his throat and answers. "Hello, may I ask who is calling?"

 _"Took you long enough to answer."_ The voice on the other end belongs to a Japanese woman, a Japanese woman who sounds old and stressed and utterly annoyed with him. _"And really, Yuta? You don't remember your old home phone number?"_

Yuta's stomach lurches as he realizes who's on the phone with him. 

It's the first time he's heard _her_ voice in _almost nine years_.

 _"Okaa-san?"_ he whispers in shock, the word profoundly foreign and bitter on his tongue. He catches sight of Taeyong jolting as if electrocuted out of the corner of his eye, but his attention doesn't linger on him for long as the woman starts up the conversation again.

 _" **Don't** call me that."_ The words are needles to his chest, but Yuta stops himself from hanging up at the last second. _"I'm going to be frankー I don't want to be speaking to you right now, but there's a family emergency."_ She spits the word "family" out as if it were vile, probably because he's involved. _"Momoka's husband's company has gone bankrupt, and we've found out recently that he has many unpaid debts, as well. It's going to take a long time for them to financially recover; your older sister's a housewife, Yuta, so she has no income herself. And your younger sister's merely a college student, and your father and I must save for our retirementー why, we just don't have extra money. You have to help us, Yuta. It's no secret that you're **extremely wealthy**..."_

__The Japanese man tunes out the old woman's saccharine but evil speech for a moment as he reflects on just _how much he's missed out on_._ _

_His younger sister's a college student? Where is she studying? What is she studying? Is she on scholarship, or is she working odd jobs to help make ends meet?_

_His older sister, on the other hand, had chosen to forgo college and focus on helping their mother care for the householdー that much he remembers. But he hadn't known that she'd gotten married. Was she married with children? Did she marry a good man?_

_Are his parents alright? Is their health okay, their financesー_

_**"Nakamoto Yuta, are you even listening to me, you awful brat?!"**_ Yuta winces as his mother snaps at him viciously. He drops the phone as if it were something dangerous and scoots back, only to collide with a hard body. 

Taeyong's sitting behind him, an _intense, hateful fire_ burning in his eyes. Before Yuta can even open his mouth to say something, the elder is snaking his arms around him from behind; one of his hands clasps firmly over his ex-husband's mouth while the other gives his thigh a warning squeeze before grabbing the noisy device. "You've got some nerve calling Yuta and trying to manipulate him into giving you money after disowning him all those years ago for loving another man, you _**bitch**_."

The Japanese rolls perfectly off the other man's tongue, and Yuta's amazement levels rise higher, if that's even possible. Part of him wants to praise Taeyong for his fluencyー his ex-husband had had enthusiasm but a greatly distracting Korean accent the last time he'd heard him speak (or attempt to speak) his mother tongueー but another part of him wants to crawl under the covers and hide from the elder's _wrath_.

He doesn't want to scold him, however. His mother... no, that _woman_ , that _selfish, cruel bitch_ , needs to know what it feels like _to **hurt** , to **suffer** , to **be let down** by family when in dire need of their support, and to **be wholly rejected**_.

Yuta usually isn't the type of person to consider karma or revenge, but what he really needs right now is closure, not some fake family.

None of them give a damn about him, and he doesn't want to dwell on the past anymore.

The woman on the phone is rendered speechless for a moment, then she indignantly sneers, _"And who're **you**? How dare you speak to me that way! Put Yuta back onー oh, you're that **lowlife** he fell in "love" with in college, aren't you? You stuck around? What was it about my useless son that enchanted you so? His appearance, or his moneyー"_

Tightening his grip on both Yuta and the device, Taeyong cackles hollowly. _"If you must fucking know, you old hag,"_ he sneers back, "I fell in love with him for _him_ , and I _never_ regretted my decision. Despite being a "fag" and "disgrace"ー yes, I overheard you call him, and me, by extension, those despicable things over the phone all those years agoー I became one of the richest, most successful businessmen in Korea, as well as his husband. You know, if anyone's a _**lowlife**_ , it's you. _Sayōnara_ , and never contact us again!"

With that, the Korean man proceeds to hang up, block the number, and lift his hand from his lover's mouth. "You okay?" he inquires softly in Korean. There's an air of nonchalance to his voice, as if he hadn't just ripped some Japanese woman a new one, and his expression is carefully guarded.

Yuta inhales deeply. "You're so good at Japanese now... anyway, thank you for that," he comments in an equally soft, albeit tremulous, manner. "I didn't realize how much I needed that to happen. I think... I think a huge burden's been lifted off my shoulders. But Taeyong... you called yourself my _husband_?"

"She could've, and _would've_ , attacked us more had she known that we were divorced since a while back. Don't read into my words too much. I just said them to protect you; there are _no_ feelings attached whatsoever." Ironically, he brings the younger close briefly for a hug and a few chaste kisses before pushing him away with no real strength. "Now that that's over with, I'm going to finish packingー"

" _Please_ , just... for a little bit..." Yuta finds himself begging almost incoherently as he feels the physical and mental stress start to catch up with him. He crawls closer to his ex-husband and rests his forehead against the rigid man's shoulder. "Don't make me beg. I'm not asking for much, _really_..."

Taeyong effortlessly embraces Yuta with heartbreaking gentleness. "Breaking our rules _again and again_..." he sighs into the other man's hair. "Remember, what happens in hotel rooms stays in hotel rooms. We're not going to mention what happened earlier ever again. We'll go back to being strangers and adhere to the usual routine next time we meet. Because we let ourselves go this weekend, let's try to limit the affection, as well..."

Yuta just utters a noncommittal sound, wanting to lose himself in the comforting contact for as long as he can.


	2. Smile Again (YuSol)

"There you go, sweetie. All done with your hair." A soft, serene smile graces Yuta's face as Haeun, the beautifully doll-like eight-year-old sitting before him, examines her new braid with great interest.

The little girl eagerly traces the floral ribbon adorning her silky hair, and she spins around to face him and gift him with a cute smile of her own. "So pretty, oppa! Thank you _so_ much!" she exclaims before throwing herself at him with a strong hug that nearly topples over his kneeling form.

" _Hey_ , no fair! I want hugs from hyung, too!" The two separate to find Kangyoo, Dohyun, Woojoo, and Seah standing in a pouty little group nearby.

Haeun lets go with a huff but stays close, and the Japanese man barely gets time to adjust his stance before the other children are attacking him with hugs one by one. "Hey, there's enough of me to go around," he chuckles warmly.

As he releases Dohyun from his embrace and playfully bops him on the nose, the adult feels an insistent tug on his shirt. He turns to see Kangyoo rocking back and forth on his heels behind him. "Hyung, won't you play soccer with us? We're short on people because Hyunjoonnie's sick and Yejunnie-hyung decided to stay inside and read to him," the little boy explains a bit shyly.

Yuta fakes a dramatic gasp. "As if I could _ever_ say no to you guys and soccer!" he remarks with great energy. "Iー"

"Yuta-ssi?" a woman calls from afar. At the sound of his name, everyone in the group looks to the door leading back into the orphanage, and sure enough, a caretaker's standing there, waiting for him. 

The Japanese man turns back to the children apologetically. "I must go see what Jimin-sunbaenim wants. Start without me, or better yet, why don't you invite some of the other kids and staff members and volunteers? I'm sure they'd be thrilled to join you all." He shushes their whines and excuses himself before walking away.

"Noona," he greets politely when he steps through the doorway.

Jimin replies by reaching up to poke one of his cheeks. "It's really nice out today, isn't it? How're my favorite volunteer and some of my lovely children doing?" she starts conversationally in Japanese.

The older woman had studied abroad in Japan in her youth, and Yuta's grateful to have someone to talk to in his mother tongue; it's not like he'd ever forget Japanese, but he doesn't get to use it much anymore, so he welcomes the practice. " _Well_ , I'm kind of disappointed you pulled me away from soccer," he jokes as they start to walk down the hall, "but those five are good. Did you check up on Yejun and Hyunjoon?"

"They're both fast asleep. Thankfully, Hyunjoon's temperature has gone down a lot. Maybe he'll be up and kicking by tomorrow," Jimin answers with a content sigh. "I'm going to miss those seven, you know. Of course I was happy when I found out that they're all set to be adopted within the next year, but _still_..." she trails off a bit wistfully.

"They've been here for a long time, right? Well, part of life is change. A new home will surely be a good thing," Yuta comments optimistically, wrapping his arms around himself as they stop next to the stairway. "Anyway, what did you want to talk to me about, noona?"

The Korean woman runs a hand through her bobbed hair. "There's a new boy who joined us today... he's from New Zealand, but after his parents died in an accident a few months ago, he was sent to Korea to live with his grandmother. However, she just recently passed, as well, so he has no other living relatives. He'll be the only foreigner here, and the only half-Korean to boot; since you're a foreigner, too, some of the staff and I thought you'd be especially helpful in making the transition more welcoming for him..."

The younger nods his head in understanding. "I'm glad you have faith in me. I'd love to meet him. Where is he?"

"Boa-seonsaengnim said she'd give him a tour of the interior and help him get situated in a room. Once they come down, you can meet him and take him out to play. His name is David, by the way," Jimin informs.

Boa and who Yuta assumes is David come downstairs just a few minutes later. The little boy somehow managed to conceal himself completely behind Boa's petite but imposing figureー if Yuta hadn't heard the sound of a second pair of footsteps or seen an additional shadow, he wouldn't have even known that another person was there with them. He subtly tries to peek around the petite director to catch sight of the new boy; he can only make out honey brown hair and a baggy hoodie, however.

"Hello," Boa says in greeting, and he and Jimin respond promptly with similar formality. "David-ah, won't you say hello, too? You don't have to be shyー Noona only lets _nice_ grown-ups into this orphanage," she reassures, reaching behind her to pat the child on the back. "Jimin-noona from earlier is here, but she also brought a friend we'd like you to meet."

After a long moment, David steps out from behind Boa, and Yuta feels his friendly, expectant expression melt into one of utter shock and slight horror. _"You can't be serious,"_ he whispers under his breath in Japanese as an oblivious David does his self-introduction in a loud, awkward manner.

The Japanese man can feel the two Korean women staring pointedly at him, confused by his weird reactionー Jimin even lightly nudges him as if to ask what his deal wasー but he's distracted, _frozen_ even. 

From his eyes, nose, and lips to his hair and style, _David's the spitting image of a certain Korean businessman_ , and Yuta's not exactly sure what to feel.

"...Nice to meet you," the little boy concludes meekly, finally looking up from the floor. His wide eyes scan his surroundings nervously and finally settle on Yuta's face. "Oh, how pretty... you have such sparkly eyes." As soon as the soft but thoughtless statement leaves his mouth, David frantically covers his face with his hands in mortification. "I'm _so_ sorry! I didn't mean to... Iー"

 

_"Your eyes sparkle. They're really pretty," Taeyong announces out of the blue one day._

_Yuta almost drops the manga he's reading on his face in surprise. "What're youー don't say strange things like that," the Japanese boy stutters embarrassedly, rolling himself off of the elder's chest to lie beside him on the picnic blanket. He swears he isn't blushing, but he can't deny that his face feels the slightest bit hotter than it did a few seconds ago. "What's gotten into you?" he asks his recent best friend turned lover._

_"I realized I forgot to tell you when I confessed," the elder replies with a sincere, bashful smile, tilting his head to regard his boyfriend. "Hey, do you want to hear something funny?"_

_Yuta quizzically raises an eyebrow. "Sure, I guess?_

_"I said those same exact words out loud once before, when I first met you back then," Taeyong reveals, puckering his lips adorably to blow away a cherry blossom petal that was about to land on his face. "I whispered them under my breathー total word vomit on my part, and you wouldn't believe how **relieved** I was when I found out that you didn't understand Korean muchー but I really meant them. You're pretty all around, don't get me wrong, but your eyes had me **spellbound** since day one."_

_Yuta's stunned into silence by the unexpected admission, and then the other boy, gorgeous with his honey brown hair and wide, puppy-like eyes, is in his space, cuddling him and kissing him romantically under a cherry blossom tree._

 

"You don't have to apologize." The sweet memory comes and goes in the blink of an eye, and the Japanese man can't help but grin at the nostalgic feeling after gently cutting the child off. "Really, you don't have to apologize," he repeats kindly. "Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt. It's just... you look _a lot_ like someone I know, and that person told me something very similar a long time ago. Anyway, I'm Nakamoto Yuta, and I've been volunteering here about a year or so. You can just call me "Yuta-hyung" if you'd like."

David seems to forget all about the other two adults in the hallway as he shuffles closer to stand directly in front of Yuta. "Can we go out and play now, Yuta-hyung?" he inquires preciously, one of his sweater paws extending to latch onto one of the adult's wrists.

Yuta's heart fills with immense fondness for this interesting little boy with a familiar, angelic face.

 

 

When he returns to his apartment complex in the early evening, a happy but worn out Yuta gets his second huge surprise of the day in the form of two rather colossal, fluffy white dogs tackling him excitedly as soon as he's out of the elevator.

Although he's not really hurt, he's terribly confused and wonders if his tired mind's playing tricks on him at the moment. He's met every tenant on this floor, and he's pretty sure none of them had pets. The Japanese man doesn't consider himself a genius, but he thinks he'd remember meeting dogs as _distinct_ as these ones. "Where exactly did you come from?" he questions, raising a hand to pet both of the dogs weakly.

The pair of giant fluff balls just continue to pin him down energetically, wagging their tails and nosing at his clothes.

 _"Oh, no! Dokku, Latte, get off of him!"_ In his mild daze, Yuta hears a man approach with well-paced footsteps like building thunder; the dogs jump off of him and dart off to who knows where, but their presence is soon replaced by that of a giant shadow looming over his sprawled out body.

"I'm _so_ sorry about my dogs. They've never done that to anyone besides me or my family members before," the extremely tall stranger starts in a deeply stricken tone, wringing his hands and shifting his weight between his legs. "I just started moving in today. Please, don't have me evicted..." 

Yuta shakes away the stars messing with his mind and vision and blinks to regain focus. The man hovering over himー most likely a Busan native, considering his pronounced satooriー looks to be around his age, and he's unbelievably tall and muscled, with perfect blond hair and attractive facial features. The Japanese man wonders what his eyes look like, as well, seeing as they're squeezed shut due to major anxiety. "I'm not mad, really. And I'd never do something so cruel," a weary Yuta murmurs genuinely, "but I'd appreciate it if you'd... you know, _help me up_..."

The Korean man gulps and opens his eyes hesitantly, and Yuta finds himself somewhat entranced by how _wide_ and _dark_ and _endless_ they are. The giant moves to offer a helping hand but instantly stops upon realizing just _who_ his dogs had knocked down. _"You're Nakamoto Yuta!"_ he gasps, voice rising just a fraction.

Forgetting all about his desire to be helped up for a moment, Yuta jerks into a sitting position, crossing his legs into a pretzel shape and folding his hands in the space between them. "I'm that obvious?" the former model returns worriedly, frowning a little. "I was hoping not to attract any attention..."

"Oh, that's understandable. Sorry..." the other man mutters briefly. He apologetically shrugs, then leans over swiftly to grab both of the smaller man's wrists loosely with one hand. 

And before he can process what's going on, Yuta finds himself being effortlessly pulled to his feet as if he were weightless; he can only squeak in astonishment at the other man's size and controlled strength. _"Wow,"_ he remarks in a hushed voice once he's steadied himself. He peers up at the hunched over, slightly awkward blond manー he's as tall as he remembers Johnny being, though he's more of a gentle giant compared to the Chicago Monsterー who's peering down at him with soft, emotive eyes. "What's your name? It's unfair that you know who I am, but I don't know who you are. You simply _must_ remedy this problem," Yuta teases as he dusts off his clothes.

The giant man straightens up instantly only to hastily do a ninety-degree bow. "I'm Ji Hansol. I'm a 27-year-old choreographer. Busan's my hometown, though I've just recently returned from an extended stay in Seoul," the Korean man introduces shyly. "I... Iーyou probably stopped wanting to be a celebrity for good reasons, and you probably won't care about what I'm going to tell you," he continues almost inaudibly after a short pause, a red hue gradually overtaking his cheeks, "but I just wanted to say that I've been a fan of yours since the beginning. You were always humble and hardworking and an advocate for many good causes, and your success still inspires me to work my hardest every day..."

Yuta's _moved_ , to say the least. It'd been so long since someone had last recognized him, and recognized him as someone with more than just a pretty face to boot. "...Thank you, Hansol-hyung. It's been a long time since I've heard something like that. I'm touched by your loyal support. I'll root for you, as well." 

The blushing elder blinks owlishly at the praise and honorific, but the younger merely closes his eyes and grins delicately in response. 

No words are exchanged after that for a long while, but the pair continue to just stand there in comfortable silence. The Japanese man actually feels his own cheeks gradually heat up a bit, too, as he considers Hansol's _curious, overwhelming attentiveness_ and _respectfulness_ towards him; it'd been so long since he'd last met someone as _refreshingly open_ , _endearing_ , and _oddly charismatic_ as the blond man. "Is there any way I can help you out?" he eventually finds himself asking.

The choreographer shakes his head as if to will away a daydream. Interestingly, there's a new twinkle in his eyes that wasn't there before. "My dogs knocked you over, and I've probably made you uncomfortable since I'm practically _awkwardness_ personified, yet you're offering to help me. You're a _funny_ one, Yuta-ssi... Anyway, I've already finished unpackingー well, _not really_ , but all of my stuff's technically inside my apartment now. I was just planning on walking Dokku and Latte and then maybe grabbing dinner from a convenience store or something. Want to walk them with me?" 

The invitation's a lighthearted one, and by the way Hansol's suddenly rubbing the back of his neck and avoiding his gaze after his clumsy rambling, Yuta can tell the elder expects him to decline. 

 _But he doesn't think he wants to_. His fatigue completely disappears as the exciting opportunity to make a new friend presents itself. It's not like he's lacking in friendsー he's taking baby steps in reconnecting with his friends in Seoul, and he's always been treated like a prince by his neighbors and coworkersー but he believes that one can ever have enough friends and resolves to befriend the other man. "I'd like that. I used to be a dog owner myself, and I miss getting dragged around on walks and such," the former model chuckles in agreement, though the pleasant sparkle in his eyes dwindles a bit as he recalls his losses.

If the choreographer notices, he doesn't bring attention to it; he just dips his head in assent and begins to wordlessly walk down the hall towards the only open door.

Yuta takes the hint and follows after him, puffing his cheeks out in slight annoyance as he's forced to take longer strides to keep up despite the fact that Hansol's walking at a rather leisure pace. He considers making a playful jab at the elder's height but keeps his mouth shut; he'll probably give the poor Korean man a heart attack by the end of the night if he reveals all of his real compulsive personality during their first meeting.

The two men stop in the doorway. _"Dokku, Latte, wake up!"_ At the sound of their owner's rather low but unauthoritative-sounding call, the two dogs crack an eye open, roll out off of their makeshift beds, yawn, and pad over.

Dokku stops in front of Hansol while Latte stops in front of Yuta. The Japanese man coos as the marginally smaller dog yips cutely as if to greet him. When he hears his companion clear his throat, he looks over to the wide-eyed elder; he's holding out a leash for him to take in one of those large hands of his. "This one's Latte's," he murmurs placidly.

The younger beams and accepts it. "Thanks."

 

 

"I really like _Naruto_ and _One Piece_. What about you?" Hansol inquires with a bashful smile.

"You have a nice smile. You should smile more often, hyung," Yuta compliments offhandedly. "But anyway, you like the same anime as me! You're a man of good tastes, really."

For the first time in forever, the Japanese man feels _utterly carefree_ and _eager_. The night air is brisk, which makes chatting and walking along the riverside so wonderful. He and the Korean man talk about everything and nothingー well, it's mostly the younger talking and the elder listening contentedly and occasionally jumping inー but they're both red-faced, starry-eyed, and feeling younger than they are as they exercise and get to know each other.

Neither of them are typically the type to warm up to strangers so fast, yet it feels as if they've been friends for forever. The chemistry between them is just _crazy strong_ ; they're breaths of fresh air to each other. 

Hansol finds Yuta, his longtime idol, to be down-to-earth, a great mood-maker, and insanely brilliant. 

Yuta finds Hansol, his soft-spoken new neighbor, to be sensible, dorky, and an impressive photographer.

As soon as the two men enter the convenience store— Dokku and Latte are securely waiting outside since they're not allowed to go in— the choreographer dutifully grabs a basket before the hyper former model comes in like a whirlwind, throwing in everything from ramyeon and bottled milk tea to chips and pastries. 

"Just who're you planning on feeding with all of this, Yuta-ssi?" a shocked Hansol wonders, enlisting the help of his other arm to support the now heavy basket.

The younger hums as he dumps more snacks in shamelessly. "You really must drop the "-ssi," hyung. And this food is all for _us_ , obviously. It's going to be _my_ treat, too— think of it as a welcome present of sorts." He quickly raises a hand to silence the other man when he opens his mouth to protest. "I'm buying a _reasonable_ amount, so trust me, okay? Now let's go to that ahjumma's counter! I've been eyeing that fried chicken and hotteok since we came in..."

"Anything for you," the elder eventually acquiesces, flipping his blond bangs out of his eyes, "but you'd better not have regrets laterー"

Yuta cuts him off when he cutely tucks a strand of chocolate-colored hair behind his ear and curves his plush lips in a compelling manner. "Let's do and regret, yeah?"

The enchanting sight of Yuta's warm, meaningful smile makes Hansol's heart skip a beat, and he realizes in that moment that he'd do anything for the Japanese man.

Anything to make that joyful, untroubled expression last forever.


	3. Your Flavor (JaeYong)

It's past one in the morning when Taeyong finally shuts down all of his technology, packs his briefcase, and locks his office door behind him.

His footsteps echo in the dark, deserted hallway as he makes his way to the elevator. Many of his coworkers find it concerning that he buries himself so deeply in his work and seems to apathetically stay later and later with each passing dayー later than the chief executives, and even later than the janitorial staffー but the Korean man always ignores their worries or shuts them down with polite, detached smiles.

Once upon a time, Taeyong used to be like everyone else, always struggling to get through work as quickly and efficiently as possible to get home in time for dinner, for dates, for simple leisure and family time. However, his ever increasing attraction to success had been fatal. 

He became too infatuated with it; he did everything in his power to obtain the wealth and praise it entailed. He lost sight of why he wanted it so badly in the first place.

Now he doesn't have anyone or anything to come home to anymore. And while the emptiness and stifling silence are unnerving more often than not, he quietly accepts the way things are, because at least he doesn't have anyone to _hurt_ or _disappoint_ with his extended absences anymore. 

Taeyong's very committed to and passionate about his rewarding work, yet sometimes he wishes that he hadn't had to make so many sacrifices to rise to the top. But he'd made his grave, so the least he could do is enjoy lying in it to the best of his ability. Thankfully, though, there are various things he can still content himself withー his glamorous office with its panoramic view of Seoul, his cushy salary and popularity among his coworkers, his occasional outings with friends, and a certain _guilty pleasure_.

As he waits for the elevator door to close, Taeyong closes his eyes and exhales in frustration. Part of him just wants to get something hot to eat and something strong to drink before heading to bed, but another part of him is dismayed at the thought of not getting to indulge in its favorite _treat_ again tonight; being unable to regularly sate his _cravings_ makes him a bit crazy and irritable, after all.

"Oh, Lee-busajangnim! Are you going home now, too?" Taeyong's eyes fly open in alarm as a young manー no, a _boy_ ー barely manages to slip past the closing elevator doors and moves to stand next to him.

" _Mark Lee_ , what're you still doing here at such a time?!" The rookie's exhausted smile falters a little at the scolding remark, but he just shrugs.

"I was transferred to a different department today. I decided to stay late and familiarize myself with all of its current resources and projects and such, but I guess I lost track of time," Mark mumbles shyly, rubbing the back of his neck. Then he straightens with a sudden, awkward jerk, as if realizing that it doesn't look professional to be slouching so wearily in front of a superior. "I'm thankful for the chance to join the U department, really, but I'm going to miss working on the Dream projects..."

"Don't burn yourself out, Mark-yah. You've already made so much progress in the months you've been with the Seoul branch," the elder tells the transferee from Canada kindly. "So please, take it easy. I don't want to see you here at such an hour when you should be at home, resting and being with the people you care about."

_I learned that lesson the hard way._

The younger giggles and scratches his nose a bit innocently. "Busajangnim, I'm content as long as I can help others as a valuable team member. Besides, I don't have anyone to go home to since my family's in Canada..."

Taeyong frowns at the thought of his junior being all alone. While Mark's technically Korean, he's still a foreigner, and it must be difficult for someone so young and sweet and idealistic to wake up every morning and do the things he does no matter how much time's passed. "How's your social life?"

The Korean-Canadian boy bursts out laughing at the mention of his social life. "My closest friends are the guys from the Dream unit, so I'm not too worried about not having time to see my friends around. They're a rowdy bunch, a good time, really. I remember this one time when we threw that baby chick-like intern, Jisungie, a surprise birthday party; we had samgyeopsal for dinner then a mock scuffle in the rain in our suits and allー"

"You young people these days are just so _odd_ ," the other man cuts in playfully just as the elevator finally comes to a stop on the ground floor.

Both men step out and say goodnight before walking in opposite directions towards their respective cars.

When Taeyong gets to his car, he lazily throws his briefcase into the passenger seat, slides in, and deposits his phone in the cup holder. After he puts his seatbelt on, however, he sits back and relaxes for a moment instead of taking off; he snorts when he spots, or rather _hears_ , Mark booking it out of the parking lot like a madman in the distance, Coldplay blasting at an inappropriate volume from his open windows.

The Korean man idly toys with the picture holder dangling from his rearview mirror. It's an old photo. It's also a photo he should've taken down forever ago but never had the heart to. _"I wonder what you're up to, who you're with, when we can next meet, how I should treat you and torment you next time..."_ he trails off softly as he gazes at one youthful, unburdened face in particular.

 

_"Taeyong-hyung! Yuta-hyung! Why're you guys so **stubborn**? It won't kill you to take a photo there. Come on, everyone else took one!" Sicheng whines childishly, shaking his phone wildly as if to threaten the couple._

_"I feel like they keep all their lovey-dovey moments private on purpose," Johnny adds with a tsk._

_"Come on, it'd be **adorable** ," Irene coos in a teasing baby voice._

_"You guys legit got engaged on a damn Ferris wheel like half an hour ago. Taking a photo on that lit-up flower bench can't make things any **gayer** than they already are," Jongin reasons obnoxiously._

_"As pretty as it is, it's still a no," Yuta replies defiantly, eyeing the bench with thinly veiled disgust. It looks so romantic and shōjo-esque that it offends his masculinity._

_Taeyong similarly regards the cutely adorned seat with an unimpressed face. "We're not taking such a **cringeworthy** photo, individually or as a couple, so let it go. Can't we just continue to the convenience store? I'm hungryー"_

_"Will you settle for a group photo?" Kun inquires with a determined expression on his face._

_"We aren't going to take no for an answer, so just agree. I'm hungry, too, and want to get a move on, as well," Krystal rants, tapping her foot impatiently._

_Without any warning, a fed-up Seulgi marches forward, grabs Yuta and Taeyong with frighteningly bear-like strength, and unceremoniously forces them onto the bench. After that, she squeezes in beside them. **"Stay still,"** she hisses at the shell-shocked fiancés, narrowing her already fierce eyes. Then she turns to address the group with her usual light, honeyed grin. "Gather round, everyone! Irene-unnie, come sit beside me, okay?"_

_"How **rude** ," the Japanese boy complains. However, he still decides to rest his head on Taeyong's shoulder._

_The Korean boy relaxes his shoulders in an attempt to make his fiancé more comfortable. "I know, right?" he mumbles in a hushed reply, rolling his eyes as their friends settle in around them. "Let's play along for now, I guess. If they keep pissing us off, just keep in mind that the Han River's really big, and we could surely make a spotless getaway after drowning these dumbasses..."_

_When they hear Johnny do the countdown in an unnecessarily loud voice, they stop their silly side conversation and prepare attractive facial expressions and poses like the rest of the gang._

_Yuta sticks out his right hand as if to wave to the camera, and Taeyong can't help but admire his beautiful, artful fingers, especially the one now bearing an engagement ring._

_It's simply **perfect**._

 

"Those were our best days, you know. It's a shame that things ended up so _messy_ between us," the Korean businessman muses aloud in solitude, loosening his tie with a world-weary sigh. Usually he avoids thinking about his ex-husband and their history as much as possible, but he's feeling uncharacteristically sentimental at the moment. Perhaps it's because of his surprise encounter with Mark; the happy, hardworking boy reminds him of his younger selfー bright-eyed and unaware of how much of an influence a career can have on one's life. "However, it's better this way, with no strings attached, because if we don't have feelings for each other, then there can't be any heartache, right?"

 

 

A few weeks later, Taeyong strolls through the mall leisurely with Ten while on a shopping spree. The Thai man has a noticeable spring in his step; despite the numerous shopping bags weighing down his arms and the knee brace he's wearing due to an injury, Ten's strength and happy-go-lucky attitude are steadfast.

In a way, the elder envies his sweet friend. The younger's just so _constant_ ; he can always pick himself up and beam and guffaw in a bright manner no matter the hardship thrown his way. He's young, successful, happily married, and living every day optimistically.

The Korean man wishes things could be that uncomplicated for him, too.

"Look! Aren't they so beautiful?" Taeyong snaps out of his thoughts when he feels a sharp tug at his sleeve. He cocks his head in confusion when Ten suddenly gestures to a jewelry store advertisement for a new space-themed earring collection. "I'd like a pair, but I'm not sure which would suit me..."

Taeyong scans the large image carefully. "Well... I'm sure you'd look nice with anything, but those gold and ruby sun earrings would match you well. They're very chic, and the colors would suit you since you have a warmer skin tone," he says eventually. There's a slight _edge_ to his voice that his friend thankfully doesn't pick up on.

"Cool! I'm going to go check them out. Feel free to wait out here if you want." The elder stays rooted to his spot and continues to stare at the picture of assorted jewelry even as his friend walks away. 

One pair of earrings in particular stands out to him; the matching, intricate platinum spirals lead to dangling stars embedded with diamonds, and the Korean man thinks they're absolutely _gorgeous_. He can't help but think how _breathtaking_ they'd look on a certain Japanese beauty with a penchant for wearing earrings and admiring the stars, and for a second, Taeyong actually considers buying the dazzling accessories. 

He knows it'd be wiser not to, though. It's true that his treatment of his not-quite-lover during their prurient nights together is hot and cold, but to gift his ex-husband with something so _luxurious_ before or after sex, even with good intentions, would surely make the other man feel like a real whore.

And that's the last thing Taeyong wantsー to _fuck up_ his already _fucked up_ relationship with Yuta any further.

"Hey, so I bought themー wait, are you okay, hyung?" Ten suddenly reappears beside him with a worried look on his face. "You look kind of out of it."

"I think I'm going to take a rain check on lunch, Ten. My head kind of hurts, so I think I should head home early," the elder lies apologetically. "But hey, give Johnny my regards later when you see him. You two have a fun date, okay?"

 

 

Instead of going home like he said he would, Taeyong opts for a solo lunch at a certain hole-in-the-wall restaurant that's close to his company headquarters; he's been meaning to visit said restaurant for the longest time, having been recommended by friends and coworkers alike, but he either never had time to or just completely forgot. Today, however, he finally remembers and has time.

Apparently the place serves the most amazing meat dishes, and for the Korean man to not have ever been is an _egregious sin_ in anyone's bookー it's a well-known secret that he loves hearty dishes, after all. Without any further ado, he enters.

Taeyong's shocked by the sheer number of customers; it's _so_ packed that there are literally _no_ empty tables in sight. He's led to the one empty seat left at the bar, and in no time he's scanning the menu intently while sipping his glass of water.

"If you're in the mood for meat, the jaeyook bokum's our signature dish. Oh, but there's also a new Western-inspired seasonal dish! If you like that kind of cuisine, I'd definitely recommend trying the tteokgalbi set; the patties are fried, not grilled, and they come with a variety of dipping sauces, a spicy salad, and lemon sikhye." At the sound of the deep, pleasant voice obviously addressing him, Taeyong lifts his head and looks around; he expects to see a waiter hovering over him but instead meets the twinkling eyes of a pale, bashful-looking young man sitting to his left.

The Korean businessman blinks. He's not used to strangers addressing him so comfortablyー sadly enough, he knows his regal appearance tends to make people shy away out of intimidationー so he's not sure how to respond to the other man at first. "Oh... are you a regular here?" he questions a bit awkwardly, shifting to give the young man his undivided attention out of courtesy. "I appreciate your recommendation, though. Tteokgalbi sounds great right now, actually."

The stranger blushes at the attention and runs a hand through his curly hair. He lets out a shy chuckle and tinkers with his own glass of what looks like soda. "Oh, I'm sorry. That was probably a bit forward of me... I just came back to Korea recently after studying abroad in America for four years, so my mannerisms might be a bit off." The friendly man puffs out his cheeks childishly, and Taeyong notes how youthfully chubby they are. "But to answer your question, I'm not really a regular. This is my family's restaurant, and I used to help out in the kitchen before I left. Of course, I want to help out again, but I'm still getting used to being back firstー _oh_ , that's probably more than you cared to hear, sorry..."

Taeyong slowly feels a calm grin form on his face at the other man's endearing rambling. "Don't worry, you're fine. But if we're to continue this... _conversation_ , perhaps we should introduce ourselves first. I'm Lee Taeyong. I'm a 26-year-old businessman employed by SM Culture & Contents."

"I'm Jung Yoonoh, but I prefer to go by Jaehyun. I'm a 24-year-old aspiring chef. It's nice to meet you, Taeyong-ssi," Jaehyun introduces with a bigger smile than before, his expressive eyes crinkling into crescents. "Iー"

" _Jay_ , don't bother the customers, or I'll tell your mother!" At the startling bout of English, both men turn to see a petite waitress waiting with a hand on her hip. The young woman playfully rolls her eyes at Jaehyun before fixing her gaze on her actual customer; she then clears her throat and begins in formal Korean, "Hello, my name is Seungwan. How may I serve you today?"

"I'd like just the tteokgalbi set, thank you," Taeyong murmurs quietly.

The waitress nods as she writes down his order. "And you, Hyunnie? You can obviously get your own things, but I'll indulge you today," she tells his conversation partner, her tone assuming a mocking quality once more.

"You're still so mean to me even after all these years, Wendy-noona! People think you're so charming, but you're _such a killjoy_ ," the younger complains jokingly. "Anyway, I'd like the jokbal and a refill of my soda, too, _if you'd be so kind_."

As they wait for their food, the elder finds himself learning so much about his unlikely acquaintance. Jaehyun's a cute, quirky, humble soul whose energy is reminiscent of the Dream kids', yet the mature, sophisticated vibe he gives off is undeniable, as well. The charismatic youth is apparently skilled at everything from sports and English to household chores and multiple fine arts. He's also just unusually _soft_ ; Taeyong can tell sitting down that the other man's taller and more built than him, but the way Jaehyun acts makes him seem like someone who needs to be treated delicately and protected most of the time.

When their orders arrive, the Korean businessman assumes that the younger would close their conversation to focus on his own meal. However, Jaehyun starts to stare at him with an intensity that's slightly comical for some reason. "I'm actually the one who came up with that dish. Tell me what you honestly think, please?"

Something about the youth's request makes Taeyong want to mess with him. "Okay then," he announces dramatically. He takes his time cutting the patty with his chopsticks and takes an even longer time in selecting a dipping sauce; he can practically sense the other man's pout _burning_ into his profile, and he feels his lips twitch into a smirk.

" _Hyung_ , just eat it already! I can't eat comfortably until you do," Jaehyun grumbles. As if realizing his slip of tongue, the younger fumbles, "Oh, I'm sorry, Taeyong-ssi. I didn't mean to act so familiarー"

"You can call me hyung if you want," the elder placates before he samples the food at long last.

The Korean businessman's eyes nearly bulge out of his head at the exquisite taste. The patty's crunchy exterior gives way to succulent beef, and the sharp and sweet honey mustard cuts the richness of the dish. Even the basic spicy salad makes a special impression, the vegetables somehow retaining their crispness despite the heavy dressing. The lemon sikhye serves as an amazing palate cleanser, too, its unique flavor rather invigorating. _"Wow,"_ Taeyong mutters after a long moment of speechlessness. "Just... _wow_. What even..."

"I'm glad you like it, hyung!" Jaehyun cheers sincerely, flattered by the other man's glazed-over expression and marveling tone. "Oh, have you ever had the jokbal here? I'd say it's pretty _wow_ , too. Want to try?"

And the pair's relationship becomes even better as they start to share some outstanding food on top of more personal information. For the first time in forever, Taeyong feels utterly carefree and eager to be in someone else's company.

"Today was incredible, Jaehyun. I'm happy to have met you. _Really_. And I'll have to come back here again as soon as possible," the elder genuinely remarks later on as he signs the receipt for his bill. "I work a lot and often get out quite late, though..."

"Oh, don't worry about that! Just come whenever you have time. We're open till pretty late here, anyway," Jaehyun replies easily with a wave of his hand. "And I'm happy to have met you, too, Taeyong-hyung. Thanks for trying my family's restaurant. Did it make for a good change of scenery?"

"Yes, actually. I think... I think you're the change of scenery I've been looking for all along." Jaehyun innocently tilts his head at the comment; he looks so much like a puppy that Taeyong reaches up to ruffle his curls. "I'll see you."

As he watches the handsome, interesting customer get up and take his leave, a somewhat giddy Jaehyun can't help but look forward to the next time he can meet the other man.

He believes that their new friendship will blossom into something beautiful in the future.


	4. Switch (All)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I usually leave my notes for AFF, but... I'm a bit hesitant posting this chapter now, honestly. I wanted to go back and revise the series first for mistakes/inconsistencies. It's really difficult writing a series out of order, after all... @___@ Anyway, I decided to change ideas. Originally this chapter was just going to be about ansty/smutty YuTae, but I thought it'd be better to include multi-genre/all ships so y'all can see how everything comes together.
> 
> I promise I'll do my best to go back and revise errors in the next few days! So please don't read the other works in the meantime LOL. Maybe I'll put up a notification or something when everything's updated.
> 
> Without any further ado, here's the last chapter. ^^"

As he watches Taki and Mitsuha meet on a staircase and ask for each other's names at the end of the movie, Yuta finally loses all semblance of masculine self-control and begins to cry his heart out in earnest. "I've seen this movie so many times, but it's just so... _beautiful_ ," he whispers brokenly. "I can't..."

Hearing a few sniffles, the Japanese man tears his shimmering eyes away from the TV screen to regard his boyfriend. "Hansol-hyung, the movie moved you that much, too? Did you like it?" he inquires shakily. He shifts in his seat on the elder's lap and gently reaches up with both hands to cup the other man's face; with his thumbs, he wipes at the glistening tear trails on his cheeks. "It's one of my favorite movies even though it wrecks my emotions like this..."

Hansol leans into the younger's soothing touch and graces him with a shy but soulful smile in return. "I was fine until you started crying... Then I lost it for some reason," the Korean man admits bashfully.

"In that case, I apologize. Let me make it up to you by starting on lunch," Yuta hums. He leans in to peck the blond man's nose cutely, but when he attempts to draw back and get up, he finds himself getting pulled back in and kissed repeatedly on his damp cheeks and eyelids. "Oh, don't do that. I'm probably salty right now," he giggles as the elder showers him with affection.

"I liked the movie a lot, baby. Thank you for introducing it to me." When Hansol releases him, the Japanese man shoots him a wink before heading to the kitchen with the intention of preparing a nice meal for them.

However, an unimpressed sigh leaves his lips once he opens the fridge. " _Hyung_ , I can't make us anything if you don't have any groceries," he reprimands lightly. "You should've told me so I could've brought some food from my apartment." He whips around to find the awkward giant standing a few feet away with a lost stare on his face, and he clicks his tongue. Tapping his foot, he starts, "I know you're leaving for Tokyo for some dance workshops tonight, but there's not even enough in here to make a sandwich! And as delicious as they are, it's not healthy to eat ramyeon and snacks all the timeー"

"Okay, so we're going out? I'll get Dokku and Latte ready. They must still be hanging out in my room..." Hansol replies softly before shuffling off with surprising speed.

 _"Men!"_ Yuta sulks once his boyfriend is out of earshot.

 

 

Taeyong internally dances in relief as he watches everyone dig into their desserts with gusto. He’s been on edge since they arrived earlier that afternoon; he’d suggested this particular hole-in-the-wall restaurant to his bosses and their foreign guests on impulse, and despite their initial skepticism about forgoing a traditional five-star fine dining experience, each and every one of his fellow businesspeople appears to be quite satisfied at the moment.

Amid the amiable conversation about projects this and contracts that, the Korean businessman overhears commentary from all around the table about how delicious the various desserts are. He beams in pride.

Jaehyun will surely be pleased with such great reception.

"This restaurant was a bold but excellent choice, Taeyong-hyung.” At the muttered praise, the Korean businessman looks over to his right to see his assistant, Jungwoo, grinning at him sincerely. The younger puts down his spoon and politely folds his hands on the table. “Usually you’re not the type of person to bring your private life into work, so what inspired you to so _passionately_ persuade everyone into giving your favorite restaurant a try today?” he wonders curiously.

“I _really_ like this place, that’s all,” Taeyong answers with a small, mysterious smile. “I know the chef personally. He’s a wonderful young man.”

“Well, speak of the devil! Is that him?” He follows his assistant’s amused gaze and turns around in his seat to spot a blushing Jaehyun shyly peering at their party from the kitchen window. Upon getting caught, the young chef’s eyes widen comically, and he awkwardly nods in their direction before scurrying off to busy himself with cooking once more.

The elder emits a fond chuckle. “Yes, that’s him alright. I’ll have to request he stop by our table later so we can give our compliments,” he declares meaningfully.

 

 

“I’ll miss you, babe,” Yuta murmurs against his boyfriend’s chest. They’re standing outside their apartment complex, locked in a warm embrace and chitchatting while waiting for the cab that’ll take Hansol to the airport. “Have a good two weeks in Tokyo. Don’t worry, be happy. Don’t catch a coldー”

“ _Yuta_ , I’ll be okay,” the Korean man interjects calmly, craning his neck to plant a kiss on his adorable boyfriend’s hair. “I’ll miss you, too, but at least we can text or something every day. But hey, don’t overwork yourself while I’m away, okay? As much as you love your work, I know taking care of models and children on a daily basis drains you...”

The Japanese man makes a noncommittal noise and stands on his tiptoes to brush his lips against the choreographer’s cheek. “Sorry I can’t take care of Dokku and Latte,” he frets once more. “They shouldn’t have to go to a pet boardingー”

“It’s no problem. They enjoy meeting new people, anyway, so don’t stress. Just focus on you,” Hansol reassures sweetly before pulling away from his lovely idol.

The cab comes to a stop before them just a few minutes later, and as he watches his boyfriend load his luggage, get in, and utter a faint goodbye, Yuta feels nauseating _dread_ pool in the pit of his stomach.

He knows what he must do as soon as Hansol leaves, and he’s _not_ looking forward to it.

Once the cab is out of sight, the Japanese man drops his weakly waving hand and dashes back to his apartment to freshen up, change his earrings, and grab his own luggage. Then he starts walking briskly in the direction of the station.

A dark, troubled expression forms on his face when he fishes his phone from his pocket and recognizes the shameful number. “Hello?” he mumbles tersely.

“Are you on your way to the station yet?” the man on the line interrogates, and Yuta bites his lip at the intensity.

“I am. I checked the train schedule earlier, as well, and I’ll probably get to Seoul around midnight,” he responds dismally. “What hotel will it be this time?”

“Around midnight sounds perfect. As for the address of the hotel, I’ll text it to you shortly. Until then, Yuta,” the elder articulates seriously.

“Of course, Taeyong.” With that, Yuta cuts the line with a heavy conscience and heart.

He knows that their sordid arrangement can’t last forever, and maybe tonight they can finally put their _bad habit_ to rest.

 

 

Taeyong glares into the restroom mirror as the line goes dead, self-loathing blazing in his veins. “Fucking _pathetic_ ,” he sneers at his reflection, the jab echoing in the empty space. “The effect you have on me...”

He puts his phone away and proceeds to splash his face with some cold water in an attempt to cool down his high-strung body and mind. Then he stalks out without looking back.

Sure enough, Jaehyun’s there waiting for him. It’s so _endearing_ , the way his eyes light up as soon as he catches sight of him. “Are you okay, hyung?” he probes carefully, rubbing the back of his neck. “You were in there for a while...”

“I’m sorry, Jaehyun-ah. I was on the phone with an acquaintance of mine,” the elder says neutrally as he takes a seat at the tiny table set for two, putting his walls up carefully so the younger won’t pick up on his unease. “He’s someone I do... _business_ with. He’s a splendid partner, but it’s justー well, our relationship outside of said _business_ isn't too good.”

The other man frowns but nods his head in understanding. “Business is tricky,” his boyfriend muses before finishing his fruit tart. His soft cheeks bulge out a bit as he chews. “I remember trying some online business course when I was going to culinary school out of curiosity. I dropped it so fast. It’s really so _complicated_!”

 _“Tell me about it.”_ Taeyong rolls his eyes. He practically inhales the rest of his chocolate cake before he continues, “Anyway, I’m sorry again. I really do mean to check out your apartment one day, but my schedule’s so...”

Jaehyun simply shrugs. “It’s cool. Besides, turns out tonight wouldn’t have been good. My roommate, Taeil, just texted me that he invited his music buddies over. They're a surprisingly loud bunch.”

“At any rate, tonight was fun,” Taeyong expresses thoughtfully, leaning in to chastely kiss the younger’s now tart lips. “I had a great time. I really missed coming to this cafe, too. It’s as perfect as it was in my younger years...”

“You sound like a sentimental grandpa,” his boyfriend teases playfully. “But I’m glad we got to go on a date, Taeyong-hyung!”

 

 

It’s a quarter after midnight when Yuta steps into the intimidatingly ornate hotel lobby; he cordially returns the greetings of the present staff members and surrenders his luggage with a hushed thanks after informing them of the special reservation Taeyong had made.

He stands in relaxed solitude for only a brief moment before he feels itー the _scorching, obscene stare_ of the one man who can reduce his dignity to smithereens with a few authoritative, seductive words and touches.

He turns around slightly. His entire body thrums in anticipation as he watches his companion for the night approach from across the lobby with measured, _lethal_ steps. After what feels like an eternity, his illicit lover comes to a halt beside him, lips curved upwards in _rotten innocence_ ; half-lidded, hungry eyes rake over his body with familiar, deafeningly silent interest, and the Japanese man has to force himself, as usual, not to gulp and flee to a different part of Korea in panic. “Good evening,” he greets formally, voice muffled by his face mask.

Unlike usual, however, the elder doesn’t bother to play it cool in front of the staffー he wordlessly just leads his ex-husband away from the front desk with a possessive grip and yanks his hood down once they’re hidden in the privacy of an elevator. “You’ve always had such beautiful hair, but when it’s black like this...” Taeyong trails off in almost admiration. He then tears the younger’s face mask off and thumbs that precious, pinkish red pout. “Long time no see.”

The Korean man engulfs Yuta’s plush lips in a heated kiss. As he steals the quivering man’s breath away, Taeyong feels like he himself can _finally breathe sweet, sweet air again_.

He’s been _thirsting_ for this type of _addicting_ contact since his last fix.

He shouldn’t want it so much, but he does.

He’s a businessman at heart, and knowing that he has this lovely creature eating out of the palm of his hand (whether he realizes it or not) makes for _one hell of an ego trip_.

The elder tugs his guilty pleasure closer, running his hands everywhere impatiently. However, he’s shoved away forcefully as soon as he tries to slip a hand beneath the Japanese man’s waistband. _“What?”_ he grouches, raising an eyebrow.

“What’s gotten you so _frisky_? You’re normally decent enough to _wait_ ,” Yuta pants harshly, flattening his back defensively against the wall opposite his ex-husband. He covers his blushing cheeks with his hands and scowls when Taeyong shoots him a terribly unimpressed look. “Hey, don’t look at me like thatー”

“I go to great lengths to secure our privacy, so don’t you worry your silly little head,” the Korean man sneers just as the elevator finally chimes open on the topmost floor. “Oh, and here we are, the only two souls on this floor. Get out, _stupid_.”

 

 

“I think we should stop our arrangement,” Yuta whispers faintly after downing his third glass of wine. The flavor’s bittersweet and expensive on his tongue; in a twisted way, it kind of reminds him of their affair. “I met someone not long after our last meet-up, Taeyong,” he continues, his nerves getting the better of him despite the alcohol currently making things so pleasantly _fuzzy_. He puts down his glass and wrings his elegant but unsteady hands in his lapー red lights are going off in his head like crazy at the _suffocating_ silenceー yet he can’t bring himself to look over at the man sitting beside him on the loveseat. “I’d like to be faithful to him.”

He hears the other man shift and put down his own half-full glassー he probably has much more self-control, hence why he’s still on his first drink, whereas Yuta’s been tossing them back left and right recklesslyー but the otherwise _oppressive_ soundlessness goes on. The Japanese man feels like he’s going to _implode_ from agitation. “Do you... understand? Please, talk to me...”

He gasps and squeezes his eyes shut when Taeyong suddenly moves to sit flush beside him. The younger inhales sharply.

The Korean man smells different. Yuta can’t place his finger on it, but his ex-husband’s scent seems mixed with something a bit milder, a touch sweeter. It’s not _disagreeable_ , per say, but the unfamiliarity of it leaves him anxious to know how it got there.

How _strange_.

“What a _coincidence_ ,” the elder eventually whispers back in an unreadable tone. He lifts his hand from the Japanese man’s thigh, and then he’s wrapping an arm around his companion’s shoulders. “I met someone else, too. I actually went on a date with him before coming here.”

“ _Oh_ , I see. No wonder you smell like someone else.” Yuta refuses to open his eyes still and winces at how unexpectedly _frigid_ his voice comes out. Sucking his teeth, he tries again more positively, “I’m relieved, though. Our separation”ー neither of them liked to say _divorce_ ー“led to something good, after all. We can finally put this behind us andー”

“Do you love him?” Taeyong doesn’t know why, but his chest feels tight. “Do you, or is he just a passing fancy?” he asks again flatly.

“Well, Iー I _care_ about him a lot, but I don’t love him. At least, not yet...? Things are still so _new_ now, and he’s only my second-ever relationship, so I _don’t really know_...” his ex-husband confesses in a stutter. He seems to regain his senses quickly enough, though, because he goes on to mumble, “I _want_ to be with him and fall in love, though. What about you? Do you love your new... partner, or is he just a passing fancy, as well?”

The Korean man grimaces at the reversal. He takes his time in crafting his response, and his lip curls in displeasure when he feels the younger shrug off his arm. “Well, I... I share your sentiments _exactly_ ,” he answers at long last.

Taeyong forgets how to breathe for a moment when the Japanese man opens his eyes and faces him. The other man’s smiling at himー it’s a small one, but it reaches his eyes, and it’s brilliantly genuine and attractive and untainted by falsenessー and for a moment, he recalls everything _beautiful_ that ever happened between them.

_Yuta will always be his last first love._

_But he’s also his biggest **obsession.**_

Taeyong knows he can’t let him go, at least not without a fight, so when he notices Yuta open his mouth to speak his goodbyes while subtly scooting off the loveseat, he takes a risk and declares, “I don’t think we should stop. Before you say anything, _please hear me out_.”

His ex-husband’s expression sours; he stands up wordlessly but stays to signal that he’s waiting. The Korean man had always loved that about himー the other man may have been all over the place personality-wise, but he’s always listened so well, especially to _him_. “What’s your partner’s name?” he inquires with dangerous softness.

“Hansol,” the younger mutters curtly, turning on his heel to face him.

“So, what if _Hansol_ and _Jaehyun_ ”ー he tastes ash and honey in his mouth as utters the namesー”turn out to be _just_ passing fancies and nothing more? Sure, we’re _infatuated_ with them now because they’re mature and charmingー all shiny and undamaged, and the fact that they don’t have history with us makes things even easierー but when are new relationships not refreshing?”

“As if _you_ have the experience to be giving _me_ such a lecture,” the Japanese man snips. He steps in front of a seated Taeyong and leans down to get in his ex-husband’s face. “You’ve only ever had _one_ serious relationshipー _I’d fucking know_ ー so don’t go making yourself out to be some expert on dating, Taeyong.”

The suspiciously composed elder meets that deadly gaze head on. “Relationships can only grow on _truth_ , Yuta. You know, I didn’t tell Jaehyun that I used to be married. I’m not sure if I even _can_ or _will_. And I’m guessing you’re in the same boat with Hansol?”

At Yuta’s embarrassed frown and silent retreat, he chuckles humorlessly. “So both of us built relationships based on omissions of truth. That’s _priceless_ ー”

“Where are you going with this?” Yuta demands weakly. He stubbornly holds his ground with arms firmly crossed in front of his chest when Taeyong rises from the couch; in the blink of an eye, his ex-husband’s in _his_ face, and as strong as he wants to appear, the younger can’t help but feel _uneasy_.

Especially when the other man cups his face with both hands. He brushes his lips against his so fleetingly he’s left yearning for more.

Of _what_ , he doesn’t know.

“We may have feelings for different people now, but we still want and need each other physically, don’t we? We’ve been intimate for years, Yutaー my body has only ever known yours and vice versa. Do you _really_ think we can quit cold turkey _just like that_?” His ex-husband pauses to claim his lips more properly this time around, and Yuta internally reprimands himself for thoughtlessly meeting him halfway like some needy bitch. “You wouldn’t have come all this way to see me during your free time if you didn’t want something from me, as well.”

The Japanese man bites his lip so hard it almost bleeds. His eyes become wide and unsure. “Iー I just came here to _talk_...”

 _“Liar,”_ Taeyong counters quietly, studying his ex-husband with a look so _intense_ and _soulful_ it can’t be described in words. “You wouldn’t have wasted your valuable free time by traveling over three hours at such an ungodly hour just to _talk_.”

“I’m _stupid_ , remember?” A frustrated sob erupts from the other man’s mouth. At first, the Korean man’s too startled to react, but he feels panic bubble in his chest when the emotional black-haired beauty suddenly storms off towards the door with surprising coordination for a somewhat intoxicated person. _“I’m really, really stupid. No, I’m the fucking worst. After all, no intelligent, self-respecting man would’ve agreed to become his ex-husband’s whoreー”_ he raves hysterically.

Before the former model can even get his hand on the doorknob, he’s being pulled back into the businessman’s constricting embrace.

Maybe Yuta’s imagining things, because Taeyong’s heartbeat is so fast, and it doesn't make any sense for his heart to be beating so fast for the likes of _him_.

“ _Don’t you ever say or think that again. Don’t._ You're a lot of things, Nakamoto Yuta, but you're not my _whore_." Just saying the foul word makes the elder want to vomit in disgusted offense. "You've _always_ been my equal. I know some nasty things are said in the heat of the moment. I know our arrangement’s unhealthy. But... even if there’s no romantic love between us, there’s still _unconditional trust and care_ ”ー the conviction in his impassioned voice rings loud and clearー“and that’s _irreplaceable_.”

Yuta gasps as the restraining arms coil around him with more urgency. “Taeyong, _let go_ ー”

“ _Fine_. If that’s what you really want...” The arms disappear, but the other man’s sinful next words seem to echo in his ear. “If you have to,” his ex-husband says huskily, “leave and don’t look back. You know, I just don’t want either of us to feel _lonely_ in case our respective partners from here on out end up being unable to fill the void or decide to leave.”

The younger goes rigid at the thought of loneliness. If there’s one thing he fiercely detests in this world, it’s _loneliness_. He remembers how _disillusioned_ he’d felt when his parents and numerous acquaintances had casted him out for his sexuality. Or how _out of place_ he’d felt as a foreigner working in Korea. Or how _devastatingly empty_ he’d felt when starting over after their divorce was finalized.

_Maybe, just maybe... Hansol and Jaehyun might adore them purely **now** , but his and Taeyong’s **established, ardent adoration** for each other..._

_That’s **forever**._

He realizes in that moment that he might never see his ex-husband again if he chooses to break off what they have going on. There’s no friendship or love to connect them anymore, just _desire_ and _consent_...

A virtuous person would make the right choice.

However, Yuta’s no angel, because an angel wouldn’t have _ever_ dared to dance with the devil.

He turns on his heel. Then he grabs Taeyong by the front of his shirt and drags him forward until they’re a hair’s breadth apart. “Whenー no, _if_ our relationships become serious, we’ll end this for real. _Promise_.” The Korean man nods firmly in agreement. “But right now, I need you to touch me before I go _insane. Please_.”

He lets go of the other man’s shirt and falls to his knees, undoing his stupefied lover’s pants with an artfully impressive combination of tongue and teeth. “Help me _de-stress_ , Taeyong. And I’ll help you, tooー”

The elder snaps out of his stupor and tugs the Japanese man up before scooping him up bridal style. “As if I’d let you do it like _that_. Let me take you to bed.”

 

 

Yuta moans heatedly as he feels Taeyong carefully nip and lick at his parted lips before claiming them properly. He’s sitting in his ex-husband’s lap with four fingers wreaking havoc on his holeー sometimes they’re forcing apart his tight insides and stabbing at his prostrate, and at other times they’re just rubbing at his abused, wet rim comfortingly; the ring on one of the fingers makes the sensations even more _mind-blowing_ , too. “Get on with it already. You’re not going to break me,” he whimpers impatiently once the other man stops pillaging his mouth.

He feels his lover’s lusty snigger against his jaw. The fingers are gone a second later. Then he’s _shrieking_ as he’s droppedー no, _pushed_ ー down onto the elder’s erection and forced to accept every inch in one rapid motion. He clenches up in resistance at the rough intrusion and tries to ease the discomfort a little by squirming, but his lover is adamant that he stay in place. _“Be a good boy and ride your hyung,”_ Taeyong chants mesmerizingly to the breathless, blindfolded man in his clutches. “Let’s get on with it...”

The Japanese man mewls when strong hands squeeze his hips more firmly and begin to drag him up and down at a _frenetic_ pace. He knows that there will be an array of nasty bruises and scratches on his hips tomorrow; he briefly entertains the idea of complaining but sees little pointー the elder’s already left myriads of hickeys all over his body despite his half-hearted protests. A few more can't make things any worse, really. And he also knows that he should try and relax his too tense muscles to welcome the other man more comfortably into his ass, but he relishes the _maddening friction, the satiation of his salacious cravings_.

And he knows his lover must mirror his sentiments, as well.

 _“Taeyong,”_ Yuta moans drowsily as he feels a light kiss on each of his blindfolded eyes. The _sweet brevity_  of the action makes for a sharp contrast to the _aggressive constancy_  of the other man's thrusts. He’s lightheaded. He’s pleased, though, _very pleased indeed_. And _close_ , too, because the thrusts just keep on hitting that special spot so _deliciously_. _“More...”_

Taeyong smirks at the words. “ _More?_ Just _sit back_ and _relax_ then.” He angles his hips up while crashing Yuta’s down with such practiced precision and power that the younger’s left _wailing_ on his perch as his first orgasm of the night rips through him.

The Korean man’s follows not too long after, yet he’s left desperate for more. He shoves his ex-husband off and climbs on top of him until he’s straddling his chest. He traces the tip of his slick, half-hard member against the other man’s lips, and he feels his heart soar as that seductive mouth parts wider for him in wordless invitation.

“You’re such a goddamn _vision_ ,” Taeyong later grunts when fucking that hot, ruddy mouth in earnest, throwing his head back with a muffled shout when Yuta hums and swallows around him with even more vigor at the praise. He’s so _close_ ; his lover has always had such a talented mouth, especially when eager. “I can’t wait to get a taste of _you_ later, tooー”

He finds himself groaning in irritated disbelief when the Japanese man knocks him off and away without warning and sits up sharply. “You’re _not_ eating me out,” the younger gripes throatily. He uses his fingers to catch the drool and pre-come that had spilled out of his mouth and then sucks his fingers clean languidly. "I don't get why you insist so much when you _know_ I don't like it."

The rude allure of the arousing display leaves Taeyong _extremely_ unsettled and impatient to resume their romp. “As if you have a say. I’ll get my way in the end,” he scoffs haughtily, scooting closer and undoing the blindfold with a peeved yank. “But what’s gotten into you all of a sudden, Yuta? I don’t think I like your change of attitude.”

Teary, slightly unfocused doe eyes turn to glare at him with _heartbreaking vulnerability_ once freed. “I can barely smell it now, but I don’t like that you still smell of _him_.” Had he been more sober, he probably wouldn’t have admitted to being bothered by such a seemingly petty thing. He likes to keep his negative feelings bottled inside, but he can’t help it now. A few tears trickle down his cheeks against his will. “What we do outside of hotel walls is free game, but if we’re going to continue _this_ , our nights are about _us_. I took time to clean up for you, but youー”

“I won’t do it again,” the elder cuts him off, moving a hand to his lover’s face to wipe at the crystalline liquid. Honest apology is evident in his hushed voice as he thumbs at the other man’s damp cheeks. _“Really, I promise. Sorry.”_

They sit in stony silence for a while after, both lost in thought.

"So what comes now?" Taeyong sighs in wonder.

With pursed lips, Yuta eventually picks up the discarded blindfold and holds it up for his ex-husband to take. “You can put this back on me now if you want... I'd like to continue,” he requests timidly.

After it’s on again, their short, sentimental moment comes to a dark close and is forgotten just like every other short, sentimental moment they occasionally have on nights like this.

They resume their _sinful, mindless, ferocious_ coupling— with a vengeance, and without care for their muted phones, the outside world, or what tomorrow will bring.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This chapter was a long ass ride, wasn't it? *gets bricked* I didn't mean for it to turn out so long and dialogue-heavy. so rip... TT There's only one story left now in this AU, and... *drumroll* it's the actual sequel for With(out) You (Heartbreak Hotel)! However, I'm not sure when I'll get to start it. I need to go back and revise the stories in this series first and foremost. But I'm also having a really busy semester tbh, especially since there's only just over a month left. I have some other ideas in mind, as well. I'd like to try writing for some other ships (lighthearted things, because this long-term project has been so emotionally draining), as well as go back and reboot It's You— not necessarily a full-on rewrite, but some significant editing nonetheless so I can get back into the groove of things.
> 
> Bye for now~ ><

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: I know I'm an English major, but verb tenses are hard LOL. I apologize for any typos and such— my keyboard and mouse aren't in good condition right now actually, so everything is coming out a bit wonky. I'm anticipating this series's end, though~ ^^"  
> Let's support YuSol, JaeYong, and/or YuTae, y'all~! And enjoy the fluffy stuff while you can, because the last story's going to be hella angsty...  
> Just in case you guys were wondering, I'm not going to go as in depth with Hansol's and Jaehyun's POVs as I do with YuTae's. That might change in the future, but right now it's a no... sorry?


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